Car-coupling



Mwrtiiall CABLE. 'GAR' COUPLING.

- Patented J n; 31, 1893.

v M. L.

(No Model.)

- parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated end4E of the knuckle isadapted to be engaged UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

MARTIN LUTHER. CABLE, OF REIDSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SIEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,800, dated- January31, 1893.

Application filed August 22, 1892.

To 0053 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN LUTHER CA- BLE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Reidsville, in the county of Rockingham and State ofNorth Carolina, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction oftwin jaw car couplings, to enable them to be coupled automatically andto be readily uncoupled, and when uncoupled to maintain the knuckle openin position preparatory to coupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in theclaims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car couplingconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of the supporting plate and the rod. Fig. 5 is adetail view of the key.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head to which is hinged a knuckle 2 by a knuckle pin3; and the rear by a vertically disposed key 5 arranged in a verticalopening 6 of the draw-head to lock the knuckle closed when coupled. Theknuckle is held normally open for coupling by a horizontally disposedspiral spring 7 which is interposed between the rear or inner end 4: ofthe knuckle and the draw-head, and is disposed on a rod 8. The rodS isarranged in a transverse opening 9 of the draw-head, and is provided atits inner end with an eye 10 which is linked into an eye 11 of theknuckle; and the outer end of the rod is threaded and is secured by nuts12 to a downwardly bent end 13 of ahorizontally disposed supportingplate 14. The horizontally disposed supporting plate 14 is arranged in aslot 15 and moves with the knuckle, and is fierial No. 443,778- (Nomodel.)

adapted to support the key in an elevated position when the knuckle isopen, and to allow the key to fall to lock the knuckle when the lattercloses. The key is recessed at its lower end to provide a shoulder 16which rests upon the supporting plate when the knuckle is open. Thenarrow portion of the pin formed by the said recess beingin rear of theknuckle, and when the knuckle entirely closes it is engaged by theportion of the key above the shoulder, and thereby securely locked. Assoon as the key is raised and lifted out of engagement with the knucklethe spiral spring forces the latter open.

It will be seen that the car coupling is simple. and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to couple automaticallyand to be readily uncoupled and that when uncoupled the knuckle is heldopen in position for coupling.

What I claim is- In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-headprovided with a transverse opening and a transverse slot and providedwith a vertical key opening, a knuckle hinged to the draw-head, avertically movable key arranged in the key opening and provided near itslower end with a shoulder, a rod arranged in the transverse opening andhaving its inner end connected to the rear end of the knuckle and itsouter end threaded, a spiral spring disposed on the rod and interposedbetween the rear end of the knuckle and the draw-head and adapted tohold the knuckle normally open, a supporting plate arranged in thetransverse slot and adapted to hold the key elevated and having itsouter end bent downward and provided with an opening receiving the outerend of the rod, and nuts arranged on the outer end of the rod andadjustably connecting the plate to the rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN LUTHER CABLE.

